Reds COO Phil Castellini walks local media around, showing new features at Great American Ball Park. The Budweiser Bowtie Bar and balcony will be open soon and provide a new way to enjoy baseball games.(Photo: Phil Didion/The Enquirer)

The Reds lost Tuesday night the way they’ve lost a lot this year. They’re 52-68, actually two games better than a year ago after 120 games. But they look pretty much the same. They can’t starting-pitch. They can hit when they’re healthy. Their farm system has better bats than arms. They’re very likely going to finish last in the NL Central for the 5th year in a row. Rinse and repeat.

Since the last playoff gasp in 2013, baseball season in Cincinnati essentially has begun in mid-June, when school lets out, and has ended right about now, when school resumes. That’s three months out of a six-month season. Think about that. The Reds do. They have only half a season to draw a lot of people. That’s a problem anywhere, but especially in a small place like our town.

The NFL machine, never idle, is back in full. Colleges and high schools are returning, FC Cincinnati will be in the USL playoffs. The Reds have gotten smoked by the Indians the last two nights, drawing just under 40,000 for the two games. Apparently, the Battle For The Ohio Cup isn’t for everyone.

As stated before in This Space, the Reds do not lack for creativity or energy when it comes to promotions and notions to get people to come to Pretty Good American Ball Park. It has been interesting this summer to watch Reds COO (Fraternity) Phil Castellini and Reds radio-TV broadcaster Jim Day in those TV ads where they tour the park to talk about all the great places a fan can visit to not watch the game.

At a Reds game, a fan can play cornhole, drink some beer, play pingpong, drink some beer, watch the game on a big TV, drink some beer, all while hanging out, catching great views of downtown and the river while drinking some beer.

At some point, the marketing/promotions energy and innovation has to be matched by the people picking and presiding over the players.

I’M HEADED SOON TO HIGHER GROUND. Not that higher ground, smart guy. The one over in Indiana, where UC football works out. And I have a question:

Who cares?

I don’t mean to be insensitive with the question. I’m curious.

Having witnessed the Brian/Butch years, I might be spoiled. And I know Luke Fickell is his own man, a very good man, and he recruits well. He hasn’t had the time to prove if he’s a good head coach.

I just don’t feel any excitement for UC football around here.

Even the salary-stealing Tuberville came with some buzz. We had Gunnar Kiel to salivate about. At least for a little while. Now. . . what? Do you sense a feeling of anticipation?

In 17 days, the Bearcats play UCLA at the Rose Bowl. A week later, they’re at Miami playing for the Victory Bell, before a season of conference non-rivalries and the always-gripping run to be bowl eligible

Is it a responsibility of a head coach to help create buzz? I think so.

Kelly was a master at it. He preached the Bearcat gospel all over town, and on campus. There wasn’t a frat house he didn’t visit or a rubber chicken he didn’t consume. Butch Jones’ unsurpassed enthusiasm was also uncontained. Each made you believe that if you didn’t come to games, you were missing out.

Fickell is understated. He’s not a salesman, which means he better start winning.

Meantime, what does UC football do for you, right about now?

A FEW STORIES the past few months about NFL players holding out, and fans being mad at them. Two of the best defensive players in the game, Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack, are in contract disputes. The Bears just signed their top draft pick. In each case, public blowback was aimed almost entirely at the players. Same as it ever was.

Why?

I’ve never understood why fans side with ownership in contract disputes. I mean, you’re workers, too, right? You want as much as you can get. You want fair market value. You begrudge athletes their money, which must mean that if your employer offered you millions of dollars, you’d say it was too much and turn it down.

Thanks to the Green Bay Packers, who are the NFL’s only public corporation and as such have to make their books available, we know that each team took in about $255 million in rev-sharing cash in 2017. That’s before a ticket was sold, a suite leased or a local marketing deal was cut. We know losing money in the NFL is all but impossible, that owning an NFL franchise is like owning a couple hundred square feet of the vault at Fort Knox.

So why do fans get on players for seeking a full slice of the pie they largely bake?

THIS IS A PROBLEM. Nate Burleson, erstwhile NFL wideout, current talking head on NFL Network, to SI.com:

"When I first got to the NFL Network, I was just like every other player protecting brand, protecting the fraternity. I was always complimenting guys and I never wanted to step on people's feelings. I remember, one of my mentors was like, 'Say something.' I was like, 'What do you mean? I am saying something. I was clever. I'm clever, I make people laugh, I smile.' He was like, 'You did that in the locker room, but say something, man. You know the game. Take a risk and criticize these players. They'll respect you more when they see you.' I was like, 'Damn, this feels so awkward.' I literally was a cringeworthy feeling when I had to criticize a guy, even when I knew the player was in the wrong, like he dropped the ball or said something stupid.’’

A thing you realize quickly, if you watch/listen to former players in a booth or on a set: They say the same dumb stuff media heathens say and write. They’re hired partly to provide insight. A few do (Collinsworth, Romo, occasionally Boomer). Most don’t, for the reasons Burleson stated above.

If you’re an ex-player and you don’t analyze and criticize, why are you there?

I was told that I had cancer December 19, 2000. At that time you were told just to deal with it, don’t ask questions. The Lance Armstrong Foundation let you ask. For some reason, I made it thru a bad time with their help. To this day, I wear my LIVESTRONG arm band very proudly. I believe he started something a lot bigger: Hope and belief that one can beat these illnesses.